The speculation has grown after Turkish striker Ciftci, 22, and Scotland Under-21 skipper Armstrong both scored in United’s recent 2-1 win over the Scottish champions at Tannadice to further raise their growing stock.

And the United manager now wants to ensure their heads are not turned by transfer talk and they keep their eye on the ball as they bid to get 2015 off to a flier against their city rivals in the New Year’s Day showdown.

McNamara said: “I hope it doesn’t affect us. It was the same this time last year. It doesn’t go away. It’s the same every window.

“It’s a compliment but I just hope it doesn’t unsettle the boys like it did this time last year.

“It wasn’t just one or two last year. It was six or seven who were linked with moves, with the likes of Ryan Gauld and John Souttar, Andrew Robertson, Stuart Armstrong, Nadir and Gary Mackay-Steven.

“This year so far it’s been Stuart and Nadir. Nobody else really gets it in this league apart from Celtic. But that’s a sign the players are doing well.

“Sometimes the timing could be better. But we’ve just got to make sure we focus and settle our players down, reassuring them nothing has happened and there’s nothing to talk about.

“Just before we played Celtic Stuart was linked with them but came out and played well. So hopefully Nadir can do the same against Dundee.”

United are aiming to inflict a third straight defeat on local rivals Dundee after both sides suffered defeats last weekend.

McNamara’s men went down 2-1 at the death away to St Johnstone while Paul Hartley’s Dark Blues flopped 3-1 at home to relegation-threatened St Mirren.

But McNamara said: “Thursday is a different game altogether. Dundee had a bad result at home in their last game and I’ve read Paul Hartley’s comments about the derby being a great game to come back into.

“They will be fired up for it no doubt. It’s been more than 10 years since they last won a derby and they will be trying to get the fans back on side after the weekend.

“So we know what to expect from them. When we beat them 4-1 at Dens Park in the first derby of the season there was a big reaction from them in the midweek game.

“They came out flying and we were fortunate with the way the game went.

“Derbies are totally different. I would expect this one to be first and foremost a battle.

“It might be a bit of kick and rush at times and some percentage football. But hopefully it settles down and we can cause them problems.”

McNamara is banking on his Tangerines to take their lingering frustration out on their city foes as well as maintaining their impressive home record which has seen them lose just once at Tannadice this season.

The United gaffer added: “I think the Dundee players will have that determination on the back of what happened to them at the weekend.

“But we’re the same. We were very frustrated to lose away to St Johnstone because we felt we were comfortable in the game.